Joseph Gribble
Joseph John Gribble is Dale and Nancy's son, Bobby Hill's best friend, and the Tom Landry Middle School football team quarterback. His biological father is John Redcorn. Description Joseph John Gribble (born August 13) is the best friend and neighbor of Bobby Hill. John Redcorn is his biological father, whom he closely resembles; his conception was the result of the thirteen-year affair between John Redcorn and Joseph's mother, Nancy Hicks-Gribble. Joseph was conceived while Dale was out investigating the Marfa Lights, leading Dale to conclude in one episode that aliens actually impregnated Nancy. John Redcorn occasionally visits Joseph-- a running gag in early episodes was that whenever Joseph or Dale would mention their relationship as father and son, John Redcorn would appear. In the episode where Dale takes Joseph on his first deer hunt, John Redcorn appears to present Joseph with a hunting knife given to him by his father, and to impart some wisdom about respecting nature and thanking it for the gift of the deer he would slaughter. At one point, he also gives Joseph a ceremonial headdress. Despite all this, Dale seems to have no idea that Joseph is not his biological son and neither does Joseph (attributing Joseph's coloring to a Jamaican grandmother), and he and Joseph enjoy a very close relationship. In "Spin the Choice", it is implied ambiguously that Nancy finally did tell Joseph, as she takes him aside saying "it's time we talked". Then Joseph tells John Redcorn he knows they are both "alike". Even though its implied Joseph knows, he still calls Dale 'Dad' and looks up to him, later telling everyone he feels guilty being a descendant of "white men" (possibly assuming the others don't know) In early episodes, Joseph acts a typical American pre-teen, usually quite bright and resourceful. But he often goes on at length about Dale's conspiracy theories and responding to things with a nasally "Uh-huh!" Normally, he hangs out with Bobby and often relies on him when needs to go ask a girl out. However, he also hangs out with Bobby in order to know more about Luanne Platter, whom he develops a crush on as he is thrust unceremoniously into puberty. Occasionally, he attempts to get closer to Luanne, even if Bobby does not feel comfortable with it. He and Connie Souphanousinphone have shared only a few romantic moments; they held hands when they and Bobby were lost in The Caves; they shared a kiss after Joseph went through puberty, and Connie agreed to go to the middle school dance with him when she was angry with Bobby. Though Connie seems mostly disgusted and annoyed by Joseph, he has admitted to Bobby that he was in love with her. Connie did have feelings for Joseph. This was only mentioned once and never brought up again. As of that point, she never really sees Joseph in a romantic light again. In later seasons, Joseph's age shows, as he climbs violently into puberty with a growing mustache. Eventually Joseph starts acting quite odd and dim-witted, not to mention clumsy. He also becomes increasingly athletic, as he gets involved in a lacrosse team as the star player and even the school's football team as quarterback; in home he is seen body building. Though Dale is proud of Joseph's fitness, he is also fearful of him. Also, along with this growth spurt appears to have become dumber, as before he used to be sensible and focused, but after will often shout out disturbing ideas: an example being where a fellow student told him about his fruit in his lunch, he suggests they "burn it". It is later suggested he is a pyromaniac, as in a counseling session stating at some points he just wished to burn things burning Hank Hill's lawn in the episode "Hank Gets Dusted" and enthusiastically wanting to shadow Hank at Strickland Propane during the eight grade shadowing fair at school. Joseph's pyromania is also mentioned in the episode "It Ain't Over Til' the Fat Neighbor Sings" when Bobby stated he was going to give Pong to Joseph for him to burn. In the series, Joseph is shown to have a girlfriend named Lori, but the relationship ended when she broke up with him in the episode "When Joseph Met Lori, and Made Out With Her In The Janitor's Closet" due to him not wanting to have sex, which is ironic considering his weirdly obsessive attitude about women. Also in this episode Hank exclaims that Joseph is six feet tall, but he's still not as tall as most of the adults. Despite that John Redcorn has a very sexy vibe and is very appealing to women, Joseph's personality gets in the way as he acts more like Dale. They both believe the conspiracy that Nancy was impregnated by aliens. A running joke is how much more Joseph has in common with Dale than John Redcorn. And this is something that Redcorn finds especially infuriating. However in "Spin The Choice", it is implied that Joseph knows his true father's identity, but may be putting on an act for Dale Design In early seasons, Joseph wears a green t-shirt, white shorts, white socks, and blue shoes. In later seasons, he wears a blue t-shirt, brown shorts, white socks, and blue shoes. Episode Appearances Season 1 # Pilot # Square Peg # The Order of the Straight Arrow # Hank's Got the Willies # Westie Side Story # Shins of the Father # Keeping Up With Our Joneses Season 2 # How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying # The Son That Got Away # Traffic Jam Season 3 # And They Call it Bobby Love # Good Hill Hunting # To Spank, with Love # Three Coaches and a Bobby # Love Hurts and So Does Art Season 4 # Aisle 8A # Happy Hank's Giving # Old Glory # Rodeo Days # Naked Ambition # Meet the Propaniacs Season 5 # I Don't Want to Wait for Our Lives to Be Over, I Want to Know Right Now, Will It Be... Sorry. Do Do Doo Do Do, Do Do Doo Do Do, Do Do Doo Do Do, Doo... # Spin the Choice Gallery Joseph.jpg|Young Joseph and old Joseph. Joseph Gribble.jpg|Joseph Gribble 005.PNG|Joseph Riding The Strickland Propane Truck Trivia *In his later design (while going through puberty), Joseph has a bit of a mustache. *One of Joseph's names is "John"--a clue to his biological conception by John Redcorn. *Joseph makes the lacrosse team in one episode. Lacrosse is a sport invented by Native Americans--another reference to his conception by John Redcorn. *He is the only character in the show to have been shown to physically mature, growing six inches of height during the summer, not to mention having a deeper voice and a wispy mustache. *By Season 5, the show had Breckin Meyer take over as the voice of Joseph from Brittany Murphy as to give Joseph a more mature tone. *Joseph is naturally great at all sports. *Joseph has a fondness for vandalizing. He also likes to burn things. *Joseph has only had one steady girlfriend throughout the series run, Lori. (Even though she was only in one episode, and they break up after she tries to pressure him into sex-implying she only dated him to make out and sleep with) *Even though Joseph isn't biologically related to Dale, he has facial features from all 3 of his parents. Nancy's eyes & brow, John Redcorn's cheek bones & chin, and Dale's nose & mouth. *In the episode "The Son That Got Away", Bobby, Joseph, and Connie get lost in the Arlen caves, which causes Peggy to remark "Oh my goodness that is where half of Arlen's unplanned pregnancies begin." The next shot is of John Redcorn and Nancy giving each other a concerned look - hinting that Joseph was conceived in the caves. Category:Characters Category:Tom Landry students Category:Males Category:Gribbles Category:Strickland Propane Staff Category:Order of the Straight Arrow (Scout Troop) Category:Rainy Street Category:The Alley Residents Category:Tom Landry Special Needs Program Category:Teenagers Category:Main Characters Category:Lovers